Moot Court Displays U.s., British Courts

September 15, 1989

WILLIAMSBURG — U.S. Supreme Court justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Anthony Kennedy will be among the American and English legal experts judging a moot court case on free speech Sept. 23 at The College of William and Mary.

The moot court is part of the 1989 Anglo-American Exchange, an opportunity for the examination of the strengths and weaknesses of legal systems.

The British delegation is led by Lord Nigel Bridge and Lord Hugh Griffiths, both belong to Britain's highest court.

The hypothetical case to be decided involves efforts by the U.S. and British governments to suppress publication of a book written by two former American and British spies. The governments will argue that publication threatens national security.

The case will be argued twice, once under American law and once under British law.

The U.S. arguments will be made by W&M law professor Rodney Smolla and New York attorney Floyd Abrams. Smolla will argue the material should not be published; Abrams will argue that it should.

During the British arguments, attorney Anthony Davis will seek to suppress publication; University of London law professor Graham Zellick represents the publishers and authors.

The moot court proceedings start at 10 a.m. at W&M's Marshall-Wythe School of Law.